Who is ice fishing already?

[The Bassman]

Ice fished regularly until a little over twenty years ago.  Cold January evening just before dark, very close to frostbite, I told my buddy to take my gear and don't let me have it back.  Haven't been since.

[soflabasser]

On 12/14/2017 at 6:19 AM, 12poundbass said:

That wouldn't be too bad. My brother in law caught a 45.5" 25lb pike off a tip up that looks like it would've been a riot. 

 

Another thing to consider that I enjoyed was spear fishing. I never got one, but it was fun sitting in a shanty over a huge hole just watching fish swim around not even aware that I was just above them.

A 45.5'' northern pike is a very nice catch, especially from the ice. Thats fish alone is easily worth a long day of ice fishing. Spearfishing on the ice sounds fun as well, but I prefer to do freedive spearfishing which is my favorite form of fishing(even more than bass fishing). Would still consider doing spearfishing above water since it looks fun.

[gim]

On ‎12‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 1:47 PM, Steveo-1969 said:

When I lived in the ice belt the only time I went ice fishing was if I went with someone who had an ice shanty.  And a heater.  And a cooler of beer.  Come to think of it I don't remember ever catching a fish!

 

LOL most ice guys will openly admit that its not really about "fishing" when they're on the ice.  Sure, they may have a rattle reel or tip up out, but they're more interested in drinking, playing cards, watching satellite TV, socializing, etc.

[NYWayfarer]

Let's be careful out there guys!

 

This weekend we had a ice fisherman die after falling through the ice in a pond here in Upstate NY. He spent 90 minutes underwater before he could be recovered. His friend was treated for hypothermia after a failed rescue attempt.

 

It's not worth your life. Please wait for safe ice and don't venture to far.

[12poundbass]

46 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

Let's be careful out there guys!

 

This weekend we had a ice fisherman die after falling through the ice in a pond here in Upstate NY. He spent 90 minutes underwater before he could be recovered. His friend was treated for hypothermia after a failed rescue attempt.

 

It's not worth your life. Please wait for safe ice and don't venture to far.

I don't what kind of weather you guys are having in NY but I can't imagine it's better ice producing weather than Michigan so it's kinda crazy somebody would try it out! 

 

We were having good weather for it and probably could've been out before Christmas if things would've stayed the same, but we got 8 inches of snow which acts as insulation and slows ice production way down. Most of our lakes are covered with ice and snow, so maybe to the untrained person they see snow covered lake with just below freezing temps and think it's safe. 

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, NYWayfarer said:

Let's be careful out there guys!

 

This weekend we had a ice fisherman die after falling through the ice in a pond here in Upstate NY. He spent 90 minutes underwater before he could be recovered. His friend was treated for hypothermia after a failed rescue attempt.

 

It's not worth your life. Please wait for safe ice and don't venture to far.

True That.

 

A-Jay

 

https://www.facebook.com/HammerDownBoating/videos/1538761672840057/

 

 

[12poundbass]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

True That.

 

A-Jay

 

https://www.facebook.com/HammerDownBoating/videos/1538761672840057/

 

 

Wow is all that can be said! 

 

I see no other shanties on the lake and a ton of dark colored ice! Recipe for disaster. 

[CarlF]

5 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

Let's be careful out there guys!

 

This weekend we had a ice fisherman die after falling through the ice in a pond here in Upstate NY. He spent 90 minutes underwater before he could be recovered. His friend was treated for hypothermia after a failed rescue attempt.

 

It's not worth your life. Please wait for safe ice and don't venture to far.

 

What lake in upstate? I grew up in the Rochester area.

[NYWayfarer]

27 minutes ago, CarlF said:

 

What lake in upstate? I grew up in the Rochester area.

Edgecomb pond in Bolton Landing NY. It’s near Lake George.

[Russ E]

used to ice fish when I lived in eastern Iowa. had to quit because of the hangovers.

 

here in Kansas we usually don't get safe ice. if lakes ice over, I would rather be hunting.  

if I get the urge to fish in the cold, I will head to a power plant lake.

Today I was out in my boat, bass fishing. air temp was 50. water temp was 43.

 

[Bankbeater]

It just cold here a few days ago. Ice won’t be thick enough to hold weight for quite some time. Of course that won’t stop some from going out on it anyway. 

[12poundbass]

12 minutes ago, Bankbeater said:

It just cold here a few days ago. Ice won’t be thick enough to hold weight for quite some time. Of course that won’t stop some from going out on it anyway. 

"Won't be thick enough to hold weight for quite some time" but you're going to go out on it anyways? I'm not sure if that's a good idea, unless you're on 2' or less. Even then why risk it? 

 

There was a guy last week in my area who died because he went out to check the ice. It took over an hour to get him out and he died a few hours later. Not worth it.

[Bankbeater]

Around here they throw large rocks out on the ice to check how safe it is. I’d rather fish from a heated dock myself. 

[Ratherbfishing]

Been out.  Ice is (mostly) safe now (3 or 4 inches on New Years day).  It was SO cold the smaller guides on my rods froze up and ice froze on the line so badly that I did about as much fighting with my gear as I did fishing.  Feeding line out and reeling it back in was a nightmare. (In retrospect, I should have gone old school with simple spools of line affixed to a rod).  I moved around a LOT because I could not find/mark fish so I didn't set up my ice hut.  Anyway, at some point, because I never marked fish, I just picked some probable spots and hunkered down with my flasher.  Of the three fish that "showed themselves" on my flasher, all 3 bit (wax worms under a small gold spoon) and I caught 1 dinky bass.  Hooked the other two but since I had to try to hand line them (see above ice problems), I lost them.  Ah, c'est la vie.  It should be "warmer" this weekend so I'll be out again.  Hopefully the fish will be in a more positive mood, too.

[Scarborough817]

roughly 6+ inches of ice on my home lake already never really ice fished though i might try this year. if i can brave the -30 degree temps 

[Ratherbfishing]

On 1/17/2018 at 12:53 AM, sebasstian said:

I hope I have the luxury of time to try Ice Fishing. 

Yoda:  "Do or do not.  There is no "try.""